St. Joseph the Worker Church, Vamanjoor

Joseph the Worker is situated at a distance of 11 kms to the north-east of Mangalore and is surrounded by Gurpur, Kelarai and Bondel parishes. HISTORY:

Fr Edwin Pinto as the director of CODP and in charge of Social Action Centre took up residence in 1975 in a bungalow of the property at Nirmal Padav sold by Mrs Letitia Fernandes to Fr C.T. He used to celebrate mass in a room, which neighbourin

g people began to attend. The church was inaugurated on May 1, 1981 on the feast day of St Joseph the Worker. Pinto took charge as the first parish priest. He built the presbytery, which was blessed on May 1, 1984. He donated 6 acres of land to the Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles for opening their Novitiate there in 1976. Adjacent to the socio-economic centre established by Fr Edwin Pinto at Nirmal Padav, the Bethany sisters have a house. Fr Bonaventure Nazareth took charge on May 16, 1993 and Msgr Alexander F. D’Souza on January 7, 1999. He undertook the extension of the presbytery in 1999 and also the extension of the church which was blessed on May 21, 2001. Fr Cyprian Coelho who took charge on June 6, 1984, started the Higher Primary School in 1986 and constructed the school building. Fr D’Lima took charge on July 9, 2001 and is the fifth parish priest of Vamanjoor. CYprian Pinto is serving as the Parish Priest and Fr.Melwyn D'souza as Assistant Parish Priest..